MediaTek and Ericsson Record Above-5G Speeds in Pre-6G Test
MediaTek, Ericsson and T-Mobile US have successfully completed the world's first multi-vendor outdoor pre-6G radio test connection. The demonstration, conducted in September, recorded download speeds above 5 Gbps, upload speeds above 2 Gbps and end-to-end latency as low as 4 milliseconds.
- The test was held in September at the T-Mobile 6G Innovation Hub in Bellevue.
- The multi-vendor pre-6G connection used a 400 MHz spectrum block.
- The demonstration achieved download speeds above 5 Gbps and upload speeds above 2 Gbps.
- End-to-end latency was reduced to as little as 4 milliseconds.
- MediaTek, Ericsson and T-Mobile US examined the cooperation needed for the commercial rollout of 6G.
400 MHz connection in a real-world network environment
According to a November 3 statement from MediaTek, the test was held in September at the T-Mobile 6G Innovation Hub facility in Bellevue, United States. During the demonstration, MediaTek's pre-6G User Equipment Proof-of-Concept, or UE PoC, platform connected to Ericsson's pre-6G radio infrastructure over T-Mobile's network.
The connection used a 400 MHz-wide contiguous spectrum block. The companies said this was the first multi-vendor pre-6G live radio connection in which equipment from different suppliers operated together in the field. The statement described this as significant because earlier pre-6G tests typically relied on closed systems supplied by a single vendor.
The demonstration achieved peak download speeds above 5 Gbps, upload speeds above 2 Gbps and end-to-end latency as low as 4 milliseconds. The uplink used a channel bandwidth of 200 MHz.
Testing interoperability between devices and network infrastructure
The trial aimed to demonstrate that pre-6G device technology and network infrastructure can work together across systems from multiple suppliers. According to MediaTek, this interoperability is an important prerequisite for preparing the 6G ecosystem and enabling its eventual commercial rollout.
“The success of this test is a historic achievement in collaboration with T-Mobile and Ericsson. It shows that device technology is keeping pace with innovation in connectivity,” said Dr. Mingxi Fan, corporate vice president at MediaTek. He added that coordinating the entire ecosystem, from chipsets to networks, is necessary to deliver 6G.
Ericsson provided the pre-6G radio infrastructure. The company said the demonstration also confirmed that network equipment could support future wireless requirements. MediaTek's UE PoC platform handled both the 400 MHz downlink and 200 MHz uplink bandwidth, in line with the 6G device direction discussed by the 3GPP radio access network plenary.
Test points to potential 6G applications
According to the statement, latency below 5 milliseconds could provide the foundation for applications that require instant responses. Examples include physical AI, real-time augmented and spatial communications, holographic communications and the control of autonomous vehicles.
Greater uplink capacity could support traffic generated by AI-powered smartphones, AI and augmented-reality glasses, autonomous vehicles and other 6G devices. MediaTek and Ericsson said the 400 MHz spectrum block could form the basis for the capacity and coverage of future 6G services.
Ankur Kapoor, T-Mobile's network director, said users primarily judge a network by how it feels to use. The latest demonstration shows how the carrier, network infrastructure provider and chipmaker are already jointly testing 6G in the operator's own network environment ahead of commercial deployment.
